Thursday, February 27, 2014

How Daisy Maciel started SIW Brazil!

Over the last two years, Daisy has
organized five exhibitions of a growing SIW reef crocheted by interested people
in Porto Alegre, where she lives. In January 2014, she presented an exhibition
including an educational ‘action’ dedicated to children and adolescents. How
does she do it? Let’s ask her…..

Daisy, how did you get the projects started in Porto Alegre?

A little secret: I did not know
how to do crochet! I told Wendy butshewas not impressed. So I started and
discovered anyone can do it! After
participating in the 2011 Pittsburgh exhibition, Wendy and Iexchanged some ideas and I decided to start
one where I live.

How did you get people interested ?

I discovered
it was fun! Then I contacted different groups: art education workshops, yoga, stretching. People really
like participating in educational
activities, especially people who have never crocheted before. Men have much fun too! People love to crochet, so
relaxed and cheerful.

What other ways do you use to get the word out?

I started a Portuguese Something in the Water blog discussing the threats of plastic debris in the waste stream. Somewhat that surprises meare the hits to my blog, people from Vietnam, Pakistan, Germany, Russiaor Uruguay, many others the whole planet is concerned but we need action (see map of blog viewers around the world!) I have a feeling a feeling of making a small contribution ofmaking a small contribution, almost nothing... but it is what I can do.

Some people have asked how you find locations for exhibitions!
Do tell!

I showed the
crocheted pieces we were doing to people I thought might be interested and commented that we were
looking for a place to exhibit.For the first
exhibition at the Botanical Garden I attended a meeting, made a small contribution and spoke with
people there about the idea.From
that first event, came an invitation to present the work at the State Bank of Rio Grande do Sul. The more
exposure we got, the more opportunities
to participate in future events developed. I can say oneexhibition ‘prepares’ the next. I think
it can be done anywhere: school fairs,
craft fairs, outdoor events and galleries. Just use creative networks! Anyway to expand the conversation and
concern about the harm single-use
plastic bags are causing in the people, animals and the environment.

Daisy withNelly Sefton Burger, 100, loves to help make plarn.

In the exhibition photos, I see beautiful posters. Tell us about them.We
have some explanatory banners on pollution in the water that reallyimpress all. I think the importance of more
exposures, greater visibility, different
places, more people, and new invitations for exhibitions andeducational actions can make a difference.

And, they are so much fun to play with!!!!

Never too young!

Who produced and paid for the banners?

When we did the event with the Department of Environmental Partners at the Bank of Rio Grande do Sul State, they designed and produced the banners!Daisy organized this project her own way, based on her own contacts and enthusiasm. You can do it too wherever you live. Just let me know what you want to do......and go for it! Email me, Wendy Osher, at siwcrochet@gmail.com. Let's talk!